Watch the latest episode of The Perimeter with former Gonzaga All-American Adam Morrison.
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01:51 [Music]
02:00 Welcome to Season 3, Episode 11 of The Perimeter, sponsored by McGillivray Environmental.
02:06 Again, it's another weird deal to be talking about another loss here, bud.
02:13 I was going to say, this is the third episode in a row we're talking about a loss.
02:18 Yeah.
02:19 So, we're not used to this.
02:21 Yeah, especially a home loss.
02:24 It's the second time in the last two years we had what that 80-something game win streak or whatever it was last year in LMU got us,
02:32 which made sense. We were due, but we're not used to losing non-conference games.
02:37 No.
02:37 Obviously, San Diego State's a very good team. They were in the 20s on the net, you know, before the game, just outside the top 25.
02:47 So, we knew it was a good game. They were 8-2 coming in, very good defensively, but it was just a struggle for us from pretty much the 30 minutes,
02:59 you know, the last half of the first half was kind of ugly, obviously.
03:04 You know, obviously, every time we do these episodes, we recap the games, then we preview what's going to happen next coming up on the schedule.
03:11 But there's some, you know, there's some major issues for this club that we've talked about and we've hinted at,
03:17 but we've been fair based on sample size, but now it's about halfway through the season.
03:23 So, it's fair to kind of look at the totality and all the numbers and what they mean and what personnel decisions could maybe happen or schematic decisions could happen.
03:35 But, you know, it's not the sky is falling, but it's getting close. I mean, it's 9-4. It's not terrible. We're ranked 24th.
03:44 What's the record? What was like 120 some weeks or something like that, been in the top 25?
03:49 Something like that. The stat I got was that the last time Gonzaga wasn't ranked in the AP poll was April 2016.
03:56 Okay, so 150 or whatever.
03:59 Yeah, whatever that is.
04:00 Yeah, 16 weeks or 24 weeks of this season or whatever. So, that's a long time, obviously.
04:05 That is.
04:05 And we're going to skirt with that for the rest of the year because we don't have any major games coming up.
04:13 As far as, you know, Quad One opportunities.
04:16 I think Kentucky is the only one, right?
04:19 Yeah, well, yeah. I mean, obviously, that's the February one. But as far as conference, St. Mary's is playing better, but they started off 3-5, I think, and had some bad home losses.
04:30 Which obviously hurts us. And then with BYU exiting this year, that takes another game away.
04:36 But, you know, getting back to the game the other night, I like their energy to start the game.
04:41 Looking at their roster, you know, they were super talented offensively, but they were that typical kind of really physical bigs, look really strong, a little bit undersized height-wise, but like 240, look like tight ends type of kids.
04:59 Yeah.
05:00 You know? And those have given us problems in the last two, three years, let's be fair.
05:04 So it was a nervous undertaking to start, and I knew how good defensively they were.
05:11 Kind of like UConn, obviously didn't have the size on the back side like UConn with Klingen, but had physical guards, had guys that can switch multiple actions.
05:21 So whenever you run your wave actions and your dribble handoffs, you really can't get any switches or anything like that or anything that's thrusting downhill.
05:29 So, you know, not saying I was like, "Oh, we're going to lose," but I was like, "This could be a tough one tonight."
05:36 Obviously being at home helps.
05:38 It didn't help that we were no students.
05:42 I was going to ask you.
05:43 I know.
05:44 The game before that was a...
05:47 Jackson State.
05:48 Jackson State.
05:49 And it was like, there was points in that game you could hear a needle drop in that place.
05:52 I know. It's dead.
05:53 And it was like, it was kind of depressing.
05:54 You feel bad because there's so many people that want to get to go to games.
05:59 And, you know, it's not a knock on the university.
06:04 It's just the size.
06:04 And when they first built the place, it was 2000 or whatever, and they started building it or 2001, like 6000 was perfect.
06:11 Right.
06:12 And that's the right number.
06:12 Like smaller is better.
06:14 I think even in professional sports, like, you know, like MLS and stuff, they're starting to realize, like, build a smaller arena.
06:19 We want atmosphere more than just seats.
06:22 But then, you know, people complain, like, can't get to game.
06:26 And then they finally get to go and they don't really go crazy.
06:29 Right.
06:29 I think that, I mean, you made this point before, like, I think Gonzaga needs to have like,
06:34 like, between action, like, PA announcer that's like hyping up the crowd.
06:39 Yeah, there needs to be an emcee.
06:40 Yeah.
06:41 I've said that for a couple of years, but it falls on deaf ears.
06:44 Right.
06:44 You know, I think that that part could help.
06:47 Easier said than done.
06:49 It's easy for me to money-money quarterback a thing like that.
06:52 But you're right.
06:53 It was just one of those games where I bet you if San Diego was like, yeah, we'll do home and home.
06:57 We'll play in December.
06:59 You know what I mean?
06:59 You don't at home.
07:01 So that part was a little bit frustrating.
07:05 The crowd wasn't terrible.
07:06 It got loud at times in there.
07:08 But with the students, it would have been on a different decibel.
07:11 So, you know, to start the game, you know, my keys when I was doing my broadcast.
07:16 The Perimeter will be right back after a word from our sponsor.
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07:44 [Music]
07:49 It would have been on a different decibel.
07:51 So, you know, to start the game, you know, my keys when I was doing my broadcast was
07:57 Graham E.K. has got to have a good game.
07:59 He's got to play better.
08:00 You know, we got to have an inside presence.
08:03 You got to do better against the double team.
08:04 He was exactly that the other night.
08:05 I mean, he was fantastic.
08:07 He was the only one that really had a solid game.
08:10 Obviously, Anton played good as well.
08:11 But he's kind of, he's the, he's going to have a good game every single time type of kid this year.
08:18 You know what I mean?
08:18 He's so experienced.
08:20 And then his game is, like I've explained, and everybody kind of understands is loose ball stuff.
08:25 You know, just he fills the stat sheet.
08:28 He's going to do that every night.
08:28 He's not going to blow you away.
08:29 He did it against UCLA, but he's, that's kind of what he is.
08:33 So like when he has a good game, I kind of expect it, if that makes sense.
08:37 Totally.
08:37 Right.
08:37 But Graham needed to have a good game.
08:40 He needed to get lower post touches in the block.
08:42 20 and 10, obviously 8 of 13, played really good.
08:46 Didn't take a three-pointer, which I'm kind of happy about.
08:48 And that's not a knock, but I don't think he needs to be shooting a lot of threes.
08:51 Four, six from the free throw line.
08:52 Had three turnovers, zero assists, two steals, but very efficient.
08:57 He was the only one plus minus.
08:58 So, you know, started the game, he was the one going against their,
09:02 Ladee was their good inside presence.
09:06 So I thought that he needed to neutralize him, at least numbers-wise.
09:11 And he did exactly that.
09:12 Ladee was averaging 21, had 20, was 5 of 12.
09:15 So I thought Graham did his job as far as an inside presence,
09:19 you know, to eliminate their best player, basically.
09:27 So I was happy to see that because as the season progresses,
09:30 he needs to be kind of a scoring leader for us, in my opinion.
09:35 Or at least get in 15, 16 a night, at least, just to stabilize some of the
09:41 outside perimeter shooting woes that I'll continue to talk about.
09:44 I'm tired of talking about them, but it's kind of our Achilles heel this year.
09:48 You gotta have consistent scoring if you can't rely on perimeter shooting.
09:54 And that's not even like a crazy insane take or like really deep.
09:58 Anybody could come up with that.
10:00 But it's just really, really puzzling now that we can't turn the corner shooting-wise.
10:09 5 of 19 from 3, 26%.
10:13 I think we're the lower 30s as a crew this year.
10:18 Last time I looked, it was 32.
10:19 So that's obviously lower.
10:21 So we're probably like 30, 31, maybe 29.
10:25 And I've said it multiple times.
10:27 I think I've said it on the podcast as well.
10:29 We have to get the good.
10:30 We won't be elite, but we're not even that good yet.
10:33 We have to get the good.
10:34 And that's been one of our issues.
10:38 And I know it sounds funny.
10:39 It's like, you know, can't just be shooting.
10:41 Well, a lot of it is.
10:42 I mean, there's stretches in these games where we just don't make a field goal.
10:51 You know what I'm saying?
10:51 And it's like we had the 313 left in the first.
10:56 Okay, so recap, obviously, we were up six, right?
11:00 Media timeout.
11:01 And I said it on the air.
11:02 It's like, okay, this is really important that we finish the half on a good run.
11:08 And we go one for eight in that last stretch.
11:11 And then they go on an eight over or plus eight and go up one or up two at halftime.
11:17 Right?
11:17 So it just absolutely kills us.
11:19 And we have so many of those throughout the season.
11:24 Like the problem is, too, is we don't have--
11:28 I shouldn't say we don't have.
11:31 We haven't shown.
11:32 That's the better way to say it.
11:34 Because I think this group is talented enough to do it, to score 8-0, 10-0 runs quickly like
11:40 we have in the past.
11:41 You know what I'm saying?
11:41 If you think about the last five years and last two, three years of teams, we used to,
11:48 you know, all right, here comes a 10-0 run.
11:50 And it's a four-point game now.
11:51 We're up 14 game over.
11:53 You know what I'm saying?
11:53 Or we're down six early.
11:55 There's no anxiety because we're going to go, you know, we're going to score two threes in a row
12:00 and get an and one and we're up nine-- or we're up three now.
12:02 You know what I'm saying?
12:03 Like 9-0 run real quick and crowds into it.
12:05 And we just haven't shown that year.
12:07 And that's why I rephrased what I was saying.
12:10 Like I think the talent's there.
12:11 Obviously, they're Division I basketball players at Planet Gonzaga.
12:14 It's a top 10 program for 15, 20 years.
12:18 But they just haven't shown it yet.
12:20 It's wild to watch and it's wild to see.
12:24 Just it's consistently not great shooting.
12:29 And yet we just don't have that spark this year.
12:31 Like Julian was always kind of a spark last year.
12:33 I mean, obviously, Drew was-- Drew Timmy was awesome.
12:36 Could get us on those runs as well.
12:38 But like I feel like we kind of pushed-- we tried to get that spark from like Nemhard
12:44 and Hickman and like they just never fall.
12:46 You just never-- when we want to go on that run, it just never feels like it's--
12:50 I don't feel confident that it's going to be there.
12:53 Yeah, it's just-- we were just not
12:55 be able to show-- I mean, let's look at the three-point shooting percentage,
12:59 obviously. Anton goes one for one.
13:00 That's what you figure from him.
13:01 You're going to get one field goal, maybe to a game, but that's exactly where he needs to be.
13:08 Nemhard 0 for 5.
13:10 Dusty 1 for 2, only played 20 minutes, got a technical early, got sad.
13:15 It was a weird situation in the first half.
13:17 That bird kid-- or I think it was the second-- that bird kid squared up to Anton.
13:23 Dusty went over and like pushed him and they gave him a weird technical.
13:27 I thought it was a bad one.
13:28 Yeah.
13:28 And then didn't play the rest of the game.
13:30 Phewy does that sometimes.
13:32 That happened to me my freshman year at Washington.
13:33 I got a technical and didn't play the rest of the game.
13:35 So I saw Dusty after the game.
13:37 I was like, "What'd you say?"
13:38 He's like, "Nothing."
13:38 He's like-- I was like, "Yeah, it happened to me."
13:41 And he's like, "Really?"
13:42 I'm like, "Yeah, just move on."
13:44 Like Phewy just is like, "Screw it.
13:45 I'm done.
13:45 I'm not playing him tonight."
13:46 Yeah.
13:47 And so anyway, he goes one for two and then Nolan goes two for four.
13:53 It was obviously good.
13:53 And then Ben Graik, our best three-point shooters.
13:56 One for five and then Brayden Huff, who's been fantastic this season in small minutes,
14:00 only gets two points and is 0 for 2.
14:04 So it's just inability to make three-point shots, man.
14:08 And I know we've talked about it and I'm tired of talking about it like on air.
14:12 It's annoying because you feel like you're picking on kids then.
14:16 You know, they're amateurs and they're good players.
14:19 But it has to be brought up and it has to be pointed out because the sample size is so big.
14:26 It just can't, like you said, there's no spark sometimes.
14:31 There's no ability like, "All right, I'm going to come down and high ball screen action,
14:35 talk about our guards.
14:36 They go under.
14:37 I'm going to make this one if he goes under and make a big three or anything like that."
14:41 It just hasn't come to fruition this year.
14:45 It's tough to watch too because you could see the want to do it and it's just not dropping.
14:53 And it's one of those things like, what do you do schematically?
14:56 There's always idiots on the internet and stuff.
14:59 We're not running the right offense.
15:01 We've been running the same offense for a decade now.
15:04 Right?
15:05 I mean, at some point, guys got to step up and make shots.
15:09 And I think they're good enough players.
15:10 It's not a talent issue.
15:12 I think it's maybe a confidence issue or just a block.
15:15 But at some point, guys have to make shots.
15:19 And that's not even like, I'm not trying to be an asshole about it, but it's just like,
15:25 "Fuck, man, you got to make a jumper."
15:27 Well, if we're talking about how much they're missing threes in the second half, I mean,
15:31 they're talking about it too.
15:32 So that has to be in the back of their head.
15:33 And Ben Gregg going one for five, I would think he could be the spark off the bench to
15:39 hit some threes.
15:40 And he was also kind of forcing it too.
15:43 Well, and he's getting scouted now in that department.
15:48 Obviously, you're going to scout everybody, but it's one of those, all the hoopers that
15:52 are listening, "Shooter," when you check in.
15:55 You know what I mean?
15:55 You played AU, you checked in a guy, "Shooter, shooter."
15:58 You know what I mean?
15:58 You let everybody know.
15:59 That's what he's getting now.
16:01 And it's deserved.
16:03 But now people are closing out, making him put it on the deck or not helping on his pick
16:08 and pop action off the screen rolls.
16:09 Like, "Okay, guard, you have to get over it.
16:12 Big don't helps."
16:13 Because they're just looking for the pop.
16:15 They're not looking for the turn the corner with the guard.
16:18 So that's some of the reasoning.
16:22 He didn't shoot it as well, but he's not getting as clean as looks.
16:25 And then we're just having some issues defensively, man.
16:29 I got to be completely honest, like mental issues.
16:32 Not being able to switch.
16:34 And I've talked about it the last two seasons.
16:37 I talk about it on my broadcast all the time.
16:39 Like, the super elite teams that could switch all actions at the pro level and the college
16:45 level are so much better defensively.
16:48 And people, the average fan, I guess, doesn't really notice it until you don't have it.
16:52 You know, it's that old.
16:53 You don't realize what you have until you don't have it or whatever, until it's gone.
16:57 Rolling Stones, whatever.
16:58 Is with Graham and like Braden.
17:04 And Graham's had a fantastic season, but probably his strong, not as strong suit is defensively
17:10 in the pick and roll action, right?
17:11 That's pretty common.
17:13 It's pretty common knowledge.
17:14 Right.
17:15 Teams are exploiting that stuff now.
17:18 And then like they're doing pick to pick action, you know, inside and they got a couple layups
17:23 off that, you know, or we're going one man removed on situations.
17:27 In years past, we just switched all those.
17:31 And then it doesn't, all those actions don't matter.
17:34 So that part is something that is a fair, not criticism, but just a fair point out
17:43 of what some of the issues defensively could be is one through four, we can switch, but
17:50 we can't switch one through five.
17:52 And that makes a big difference.
17:54 Now the counter to be like, well, you know, UConn can't do that with a big kid or Purdue
17:58 can't do that.
17:59 And that's very true.
17:59 But those guys on the backside are seven, four, and they're changing shots.
18:03 And then you can downhill switch or you can funnel everything to your big.
18:07 That's a bit, that's a way different.
18:08 We can't switch strategy, right?
18:12 That's like, well, okay, we'll ice everything on the side and then funnel it to a, to your
18:17 big to block shots or at least alter.
18:19 And then you play play off of that.
18:20 So that part has been really kind of disappointing for me because a lot of it's mental errors
18:28 too.
18:28 You know, they had, they ran that pick to pick action before their big, and it ended
18:33 up going off his hand to start the second half.
18:36 But like, it was going to be a wide open layup.
18:39 And it's like, we can't have those type of, especially when they go on a run and they're
18:44 up to start the half.
18:45 We just have too many of those situations this year.
18:50 And I think it's, it's not a scouting thing.
18:53 I know that.
18:53 And that's not even me, like, just cause I played for Coach Feud, but like I go to their,
18:58 their scouting deal, you know, I go to their shoot arounds every once in a while.
19:01 And then I obviously go to the, on the road games, I go to their team meals and their
19:05 pregame scout, like the scouts are pretty heavy for college.
19:08 They're on par with an NBA scout.
19:10 They really are.
19:11 They tell you, you know, guy going left scores at 28% of the time, whatever, you know what
19:16 I mean?
19:16 That's what, they're analytic driven.
19:18 So it's not that, it's, I think it's mental errors, mental lapses.
19:21 I think another criticism, and we've talked about this, with Luka going down, it hurts
19:29 your opportunity to give Nembhard and Hickman some opportunity to rest.
19:35 I mean, Nembhard plays 40 minutes again the other night, 5 of 14, 0 of 5.
19:40 He has 15, he has 9 assists.
19:42 So, I mean, he's looked good in that department, but 5 of 14's not good.
19:48 And he's shooting like 42% or something like that from the field.
19:50 So he's been fine as far as a floor game point guard, but I guarantee he wants to have his
19:55 percentages up.
19:57 Totally.
19:57 And that could be a fatigue thing.
19:58 I don't know that for sure, but that's, that's a fair criticism.
20:02 Be like, well, he's playing 38 to 40 minutes a night.
20:06 And, you know, when you have to play defense on the other end, it could be taxing on your
20:10 body.
20:10 The easy counter to that, though, and I've said this a million times, like, dude, there's
20:15 like 4 TV timeouts a half.
20:17 You know, so I get it.
20:19 Because I played my junior year, probably my sophomore year, I played at least 33.
20:24 And then my junior year, I played like 38.
20:27 So it's like, dude, you're not that tired.
20:30 Or like, I don't know.
20:31 It can't be.
20:31 I mean, it probably can't be a tired thing.
20:32 The silver lining with, I feel like with Ryan is that like when he was at Creighton, he
20:37 was shooting, he shot 35% last year from the three.
20:43 From three?
20:43 From three.
20:44 And he's like at 19 now.
20:45 He's at 15%.
20:47 So like, it's there.
20:50 And his attempts are even down almost a shot per game, like from last year.
20:55 So like.
20:56 Well, then that brings us to just another, you know, a quick topic we can cover is, is
21:01 it a pressure thing, maybe?
21:04 I don't know.
21:05 Because his brother played here and his brother's in the NBA.
21:07 And it looks like he's going to have like a 10-year career as a backup point guard.
21:11 Like, very good.
21:12 I mean that in a good way.
21:13 Like, oh, he's going to, he'll be on a team every single year as a really good backup
21:18 point guard.
21:19 Maybe a guy that could start games for you.
21:20 You know what I mean?
21:21 And then he, his brother follows him here.
21:24 And it's like, oh, Nemhard, you're supposed to be really good.
21:27 You know what I'm saying?
21:28 Yeah, for sure.
21:28 That's a fair, fair wonder.
21:30 I don't know.
21:31 And I think Ryan's a very good player.
21:34 He's not had a bad year, but he hasn't shot it as good as he should.
21:37 And that's just, that's a fair criticism.
21:39 He'd probably say the same thing out loud.
21:40 You know, again, we don't want to sit here and hammer guys.
21:44 They are amateurs and I don't feel comfortable doing that type of thing.
21:49 But also, you know, if you're listening to this and on my broadcast, like we have to
21:53 be unbiased as possible and tell you, you know, what I think and what, what I'm seeing,
21:59 especially with the sample size, you know, not early.
22:01 So yeah, I, it was a weird loss because it was a non-conference.
22:08 We don't lose very many non-conference.
22:10 It was our last 10 point plus loss since 2012 was the last one we had.
22:15 It was crazy.
22:16 That is crazy.
22:17 At home.
22:18 Oh, at home.
22:18 At home.
22:18 Oh, at home.
22:19 Okay.
22:19 It's still crazy, though, if you think about it.
22:21 It's over 10 years, 11 years or whatever.
22:23 And then I mentioned the two home losses in the last two years.
22:27 I mean, we had that 80 something or whatever and then finally got beat last year.
22:32 But yeah, it's like, you know, maybe it's just not the iron fortress that we thought
22:37 it was.
22:37 Right.
22:38 But.
22:38 Well, not when it's how quiet it is.
22:41 I mean, I think there is, I feel like the team, the team, the crowd brings up an element
22:46 to the Kennel.
22:47 Like that's always been a thing.
22:48 Yeah, it's true.
22:50 And I don't know, like what the point differential would be if you had like a really loud crowd
22:54 there getting into the other head of the other team.
22:57 The students do help.
22:58 You know, this is another discussion that we've talked about.
23:03 Like if you serve beers, it probably changes the tenor of the crowd, too.
23:06 Totally.
23:07 Whatever.
23:08 I'm not even going to get into that.
23:09 It doesn't matter.
23:09 But, you know, it's just been one of those years that we're not, obviously not terrible.
23:17 We're top 25 team, 9-4, but we just haven't seen like a signature game except maybe USC.
23:25 But you're kind of like, USC is not very good.
23:28 So you kind of feel like is it fool's gold?
23:30 I mean, but we shot 12 of 22 from three that game.
23:33 So it just shows you how much the three-point shot matters.
23:36 And again, like I said, we don't have to be elite because we're not going to be elite
23:39 like we did with, you know, like Corey's crew with Joel.
23:42 And I remember all those guys could shoot.
23:44 Yeah.
23:44 Andrew, you know.
23:46 Yeah.
23:46 Every guy could shoot a three in that team.
23:49 And it was Jalen, you know, it was like crazy how good a three-point shooting team we were.
23:53 We got to get the good.
23:55 We're not even that good.
23:56 We're at like bad.
23:58 Yeah.
23:58 So I don't know.
24:00 Hopefully we can get it turned around with, you know, the conference games coming up.
24:04 But I'm just, I'm just really concerned with once we get later in the season and when the
24:12 games start to matter more is how much three-point shooting is going to matter or how it'll maybe
24:19 cost us some games.
24:20 Now, when we continue, you mentioned the Kentucky game in February.
24:25 That's our last legitimate game to try to get a quad one.
24:29 It might be a year, and I, maybe I shouldn't say this, but we might be a year.
24:37 We have an edit button so we can decide later that we might have to win the conference tournament.
24:42 I mean, I was thinking the last time was 2016.
24:46 Yeah.
24:46 That was the year where we felt like we had to win the WCC.
24:51 What crew was that?
24:52 I forgot what crew was that.
24:54 Was it like, was that Stotts, no?
24:57 Was it Stotts year?
24:58 Was that David?
24:59 David.
25:00 Like, I feel like 2016, that was like.
25:03 Perkin.
25:03 Like, Corey, it was like Corey's freshman year.
25:06 Freshman year.
25:06 Yeah.
25:07 I'm trying to think what crew that was.
25:08 I'll get to the rest of it later.
25:10 But we had to win.
25:11 So, just being objective and looking at the rest of the schedule and going,
25:20 "All right, signature wins."
25:22 You know, they always put signature wins, good losses, bad losses, you know?
25:26 Yeah.
25:27 I don't think we have a signature win yet.
25:29 We don't. I don't think we do.
25:30 We don't.
25:30 Either, yeah.
25:31 So, like, being objective, that's what we try to be.
25:36 Is this a year where we have to win the NCAA tournament?
25:40 Because that's our, what are we, the net?
25:42 We're net, like, 53.
25:43 57.
25:44 57, yeah.
25:44 So, and there's 64 that get in.
25:46 And it's not exact science, but it's a good, you know, evaluator of where you're going to land
25:51 and seeding and stuff like that.
25:53 Now, can we rattle off 15, 16 wins, especially in the WCC?
25:59 Absolutely.
26:00 Totally.
26:00 You know what I'm saying?
26:01 And then we could sit here and be going, being 25 and 4 going into the tournament.
26:06 It's a pretty good team.
26:06 That's an NCAA tournament team.
26:07 Yeah, for sure.
26:08 So, like, I'm not saying it's, you know, Katie bar the door, oh my god.
26:12 But it's like, if we don't, that Kentucky game is the last game to get a signature win.
26:17 So, that game, the San Diego State game, was kind of like a,
26:23 "Hope we win this one tonight, guys.
26:25 We need something to put on the resume."
26:27 And obviously it didn't come to fruition for us.
26:29 So, I don't know.
26:30 I wonder if that's the last time.
26:32 We'll schedule a December home game against the--
26:35 Well, some teams won't come in.
26:37 They'll tell you, they'll just be like, "We won't play."
26:40 We'll play at home.
26:40 We're going to play when the students are there.
26:42 Right.
26:42 Or they won't say it out loud.
26:43 But like, "Uh, we'll come in December."
26:45 Right before, you know, they'll figure it out.
26:47 I mean, we've done that too.
26:48 I think the last time we did that was, it must have been against Butler.
26:51 No, we did it against, we played San Diego State there.
26:55 Oh, last year.
26:55 Last time, it was like 2017, and we lost.
26:59 But they kept their students around an extra day.
27:01 They had like a promo--
27:03 I remember seeing it, it was like an actual promotion.
27:05 Like, "Stay around."
27:06 You know, like, and they kept them there, and the students stayed.
27:09 But they were technically on break.
27:10 Yeah.
27:11 But the counter to that is like, probably a lot of in-state, and then,
27:14 what's another day, like, as a student in San Diego, in class.
27:20 Like, yeah, that's a tough sell.
27:22 That's tough, yeah.
27:22 Yeah, exactly.
27:23 So, a lot easier than doing it here.
27:26 But yeah, so it'll be interesting going into conference.
27:31 The perimeter, we'll be right back after a word from our sponsor.
27:34 Hey, Hunter Green.
27:36 Did you know that card control from ICCU lets you turn off your cards with just the tap of a button?
27:40 Off, on.
27:42 Trying to pay our bills.
27:43 On.
27:46 It's a lot easier than doing it here.
27:52 But yeah, so it'll be interesting going into conference play.
27:56 Obviously, we play, we open with Pepperdine at their arena.
28:00 Everybody remembers the arena game last night.
28:02 It was fantastic.
28:03 Had a good time.
28:05 Sellout with Kentucky.
28:08 I'm glad they're playing a game in the arena, but I'm also kind of nervous that
28:12 it's not going to have as much pop.
28:15 And then, hopefully, the next year, they bring in a bigger opponent.
28:21 Yeah.
28:21 Yeah, it's a--
28:23 Because it is cool.
28:24 Like we said, it's cool.
28:25 We talked about it earlier.
28:27 Like, we want people that don't have an opportunity to go to a game.
28:30 Have a chance to go to a game.
28:32 And obviously, the arena does that.
28:33 But like Pepperdine's not a very good team to go watch.
28:37 Right.
28:38 Us play them.
28:38 And I was at the Boise State-WSU game.
28:42 And they couldn't even sell--
28:43 They couldn't sell the stadium out for that game.
28:46 Like, they had the upper section blocked out.
28:49 And that was still like--
28:51 I mean, WSU fans are a little bit--
28:53 They get loud for everything, but then they just quiet down really quick.
28:56 Like, it's a weird environment for--
29:00 a conference game.
29:01 Because Pepperdine isn't--
29:03 I mean, I would say they're probably--
29:04 They have two guys that average like 16 points, 17 points a game.
29:08 Yeah.
29:08 So they're not--
29:10 They're always potent offensively.
29:13 And they're not great defensively.
29:15 But like, we've had issues with them, especially down there.
29:17 Yeah.
29:18 You know, every year, we like beat them by 12.
29:20 But if you look at the meat of the game, like five minutes to go, it's a seven-point game.
29:24 You know what I mean?
29:24 So like, they've played us solid.
29:29 And you know, like with this year's crew, you know,
29:32 if we get cold and we're playing in a different gym, it could get ugly.
29:36 You know, defensively, rebounding were really good this year.
29:42 So you know, I need to make sure that I'm saying that part of it.
29:46 This team, even though we haven't shot the ball really well,
29:48 we're still going to win a lot of basketball games.
29:50 And we're going to be in a lot of basketball games.
29:52 It's just the pressure situations or, you know,
29:57 we're making mounting a big comeback like we had against San Diego State in the second half.
30:01 You need to make a couple threes in a row.
30:03 It didn't happen.
30:04 And that's what I'm worried about.
30:06 But yeah, that game will be fun.
30:08 I think they're doing like alumni deal or something.
30:12 Because it's 30 years this year since the first.
30:15 25 years since the.
30:19 No, but it's 30 since the first NIT.
30:22 Oh, OK.
30:23 Just 20.
30:23 It was 93, 94.
30:25 And then it's 25 since the Elite Eight or whatever.
30:29 So that's what it.
30:30 But they're just combining it all, which they should.
30:32 So I think they're going to have an alumni event during that.
30:36 It'll be fun to see some of the older guys and stuff like that.
30:41 We had one this summer that was really fun.
30:42 Good time.
30:43 But yeah, so that part would be kind of cool.
30:46 Hopefully they do something.
30:48 I'm sure they'll do like a ceremony or something before the game or during.
30:51 But yeah, those NIT guys got to be recognized because it.
30:55 It started kind of like, all right, we can we can actually win games here.
30:58 Right.
30:59 You know, why not us?
31:00 You know, and those were the John really and all those teams and Fitz rest in peace.
31:06 Fitz was great to me as a I was a ball kid when he was coaching.
31:11 But then later when I became a prospect, he really helped me a lot with just
31:17 preparing for Division One basketball.
31:19 And, you know, my dad was the same.
31:22 But then he was he was a different voice saying the same thing.
31:24 But sometimes you hear a different voice.
31:26 Yeah.
31:26 So that they're going to talk about FITC and stuff like that, which is good.
31:31 So, yeah, that'll be interesting.
31:33 But again, it'll be scary playing in the arena just because the shooting woes.
31:38 Right.
31:39 And playing in a different different gym.
31:41 And it's not the greatest basketball arena.
31:42 It's just not.
31:43 No.
31:43 That's why we haven't played very many games there.
31:45 But when we had the atmosphere last year, it's Kentucky was awesome.
31:48 Yeah, it was.
31:49 It was fantastic.
31:50 In March turn in March.
31:51 It's always fun there as well.
31:52 Like and that's the other thing is like I think we have a first round first second round.
31:57 I know.
31:58 And like.
31:58 It's crazy.
31:59 We're probably not going to be able to even get a game here because we're not going to get a one or two seed.
32:04 No, no, it's it's wild to think that because the last time that happened was COVID.
32:09 Yeah.
32:09 And we just won the WCCs.
32:13 And then we were literally landed.
32:16 I remember landing the plane and they canceled it.
32:19 And then you feel like you're like the zombie apocalypse was coming.
32:22 You're like stuck in an airport.
32:23 It's like, oh, my God.
32:24 Like I saw Chris Haynes, who does TNT and we ran into each other and it was like, hey, Matt, you know, it was just like such a weird time.
32:33 But it was so it sucked because they would have been a one or two seed that year and would have got it.
32:38 Spokane and it never happened.
32:39 It never happened.
32:40 Come back around again and it's might not happen.
32:43 So anyway.
32:44 Yeah.
32:46 I mean, this team's got, you know, an opportunity to improve.
32:51 Sky is not falling.
32:54 They are talented enough to to make shots.
32:56 And nine to four is not the end of the world because two of those losses, let's just remind people, Purdue's number one or number two and UConn's number five or number four or number three, whatever the heck they are.
33:08 OK, so these are like, let's just understand that these are two really good teams that we've lost to.
33:14 Washington is the one that we're going to look back like, oh, we could have got that one.
33:20 San Diego State, obviously, won a win at home and we just talked about it at length, but they're a good basketball team.
33:24 And they're a bad physical matchup.
33:27 Didn't you?
33:29 I mean, like when you watch it, you just look at it like those guys are just like massive.
33:32 And they look like, yeah, they look like men.
33:34 Yeah, tight ends.
33:35 And you're like, oh, this never does.
33:37 We never do good against some of these type of teams.
33:39 Like usually when we play those, if we have the shooting, then we can outrun them and outscore them.
33:45 But if we don't, then they just physically push us around.
33:48 It's not like we got punked, but I'm just talking about like the physicality of the total game.
33:53 You know what I'm saying?
33:54 So yeah, hopefully we continue to improve, but it's got to start happening.
34:01 And roster wise, maybe June plays more.
34:05 I don't know.
34:06 He didn't play.
34:08 Did he even play?
34:08 I think he got in.
34:10 He was.
34:10 Oh yeah, he got a minute 20.
34:12 So yeah, the end of the first half, wasn't it?
34:13 Yeah, the first half, Voigt fell trouble.
34:16 So he got basically DNP'd.
34:18 We talked about Luka being hurt.
34:20 Yeah.
34:20 I don't know if they announced it, but I think he broke his hand.
34:23 Oh really?
34:23 I think, well, it was six to eight weeks hand injury.
34:26 So I don't know if it's broke, but six to eight weeks, doesn't matter what it is.
34:29 It's still six to eight weeks.
34:30 So that does hurt.
34:33 And like, and if you're listening, he's like, well, he doesn't play very much.
34:35 But yeah, but there was the option for him to play.
34:38 And I think he was competent enough to steal minutes at the point guard position
34:42 to give those guys a rest.
34:44 Yeah, I mean, if you look at the roster now, like a guard coming in is Joe Pheu.
34:51 Yeah.
34:52 So, and yeah.
34:54 I will say this, like this has happened every year, not every year, but we always come into
35:01 the WCCs and like three losses, two losses, four losses, whatever.
35:05 And I feel like WCC always kind of helps right the ship, gets confidence.
35:10 Yeah.
35:10 And like, and as you pick off games and win and win, like our ranking will get up, keep
35:17 on maybe rising up a little bit.
35:19 And hopefully the biggest thing is getting that confidence and like going into a Kentucky
35:24 game on like a hot streak and, you know, stealing one down in Lexington.
35:30 But yeah, I mean, if we get that game, it'll obviously be a marquee and then it kind of
35:34 solidifies, you know, your chances to make an NCAA tournament.
35:38 I mean, St. Mary's is good.
35:39 They're just the early losses, so they're not going to be as high as ranked, even if
35:44 they're not even top 25, but like net ranking.
35:46 San Fran is always good as well.
35:50 And then LMU's better this year.
35:52 So I think we could either go undefeated or be like 14-2 or whatever.
35:57 But it's going to be tougher than usual.
36:01 And, but I said it last year, like it's more fun to call these games and watch them.
36:06 They're not 30 point blowouts.
36:07 Totally.
36:08 So that's the counter to it.
36:09 I'm always like, well, at least the games are interesting because a couple of years
36:12 it was like, what are we talking about?
36:14 Yeah.
36:15 Winning by 35.
36:16 I mean, seriously.
36:16 Yeah, no, it's true.
36:17 It's kind of boring.
36:18 It's like, I got to call this thing, man.
36:19 It's like, you know, we're going to win by 40 and it's not fun to watch.
36:23 And then to counter that, like those teams didn't take a dip, but it was like, all right,
36:29 how do we motivate them during the WCC season?
36:31 Because they're so good that this is kind of not a waste of our time, but we need to
36:37 play some tougher games.
36:38 So yeah, I don't know.
36:41 I'm looking forward to it.
36:42 It's a decent first half of the season.
36:45 Conference is always fun.
36:47 The travel's fun.
36:48 You know, and there's the old rivalries and stuff like that.
36:52 St. Mary's game is always fun.
36:53 It's fun down there as well.
36:55 Kind of built one a little bit with LMU last year since they beat us and then we hammered
37:00 them at their place like 45 or 50.
37:02 It was one of those like bloodbaths in the first half.
37:05 I felt bad for them too, I honestly did.
37:08 Because they were so excited.
37:09 They had fans and it was cool.
37:10 It's like, yeah, bring this program back.
37:12 And it was like 22 to like two at the first media or something.
37:15 It was crazy.
37:16 I think we shot like 90%.
37:17 It was wild.
37:19 And he just, he was just like, oh, everybody started leaving and it's like, oh, this sucks.
37:25 You know what I mean?
37:25 You felt bad.
37:26 You're like, ah.
37:26 But so anyway, thanks for listening.
37:31 Thank you to our sponsors, McGillvary Environmental, Idaho Central Credit Union, HDG Architecture.
37:37 Keep listening.
37:37 We'll see you later.
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